A Permeating Spirit

John R Gavazzoni

Thousand Oaks, CA

There is an "orderly arrangement" within the aions that is all-pervasive and encompassing, influencing, whether overtly or covertly, everything
that appeals to our five sense. In the original Greek of the new
testament, the word is "kosmos," from which, of course, we get our
English word, "cosmos," and is rightly defined by Strong's Concordance,
as an "orderly arrangement."

It is systemic, and, in opposition to the Spirit of Christ
Who births us anew to our true identity as children of God, it dehumanizes our
humanness by creating a sensation of freedom that leads to bondage, and
by inciting the kind of fear that leads us to seek security in what is
really, in its very spirit, a robot-creating system designed
specifically for the disintegration of the human personality.

As believers, we are in this "world," (as most popular bible versions
translate "kosmos"), but we are not of the world. It is alien to us, in
fact it is alien to every human being, only more evidently so where the
life of Christ has asserted itself as our life. Even, as believers, as
long as we are subject to the jamming of our physical/soulical airwaves,
we will feel the influence of alienation from our true homeland, the
Kingdom of God.

There are varying degrees, individually, of complicity with this
arrangement. Some who have the overt appearance of having come out from
it, are actually quite energized, or better, de-energized by its spirit,
while some of those who are looked down upon as worldlings by
religionists, for instance, may be comparatively insulated from its
subtle manipulations.

One of the characteristics of "the world" that is very manipulative is
the orderly arrangement of its priorities. The face it puts forth is one
of wisdom, an intimidating false-wisdom that cleverly seeks to convince
us that its top priority is to look after our well-being, when in fact,
its top priority is self-preservation and the establishment of deeply
entrenched power that is not to be questioned by lowly peons like you
and me.

The fields of religion, science, medicine, law, journalism and
government (local, national and international) are all permeated by this
spirit. What is so subtle about it is that it always can point to some
genuine benefits that it offers us, while all the while seeking to
enslave us. It uses facts in the service of the lie, and allows truth
into its ranks only just enough to validate its continued existence and
authority.

It very obviously promotes those who consciously, or unconsciously bow
to its supposed sovereignly. That is not to say that God cannot, nor
does not, intervene and promote His own vessels of honor right in the
middle of the system in spite of, and to the dismay of its
powers-that-be. Think Joseph and Daniel. This fact alone reveals that
God is the ultimate Power who manipulates all alien powers, and that
they answer to him finally.

I think that it would be wise, in this regard, for those of us who are
given to teaching, and who emphasize that there is really only one power
in the universe, to further explain our meaning, for clearly, scripture
speaks of the kingdom of God and power of God, but also of
"principalities and powers." It speaks of the one Holy Spirit, but also
reminds to "...test the spirits to see whether they are from God;
because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

That God, by His initiation---but not by His inspiration--- has brought
into existence alien and alienating spirits and powers, is obvious from
scripture and from experience. What must be affirmed by revelation and
in faith is that they all serve His purposes in spite of their
intentions.

Rather than trying to run from these powers and spirits, when it becomes obvious that God is giving them access to us, we can say to devils and
demons, "OK, if that's the way it's got to be in my Father's plan, go
ahead, take your best shot, and after you have, know this, YOU'RE GOIN'
DOWN FOR THE COUNT." Glory!